Mining machine



Sept. 21 1926.

originan Fuea'uay 1. 1920 "K Y l mim o T. EI PRAY E-r M MINING MACHINE?'s sne'fets-shnt 1 26. t 21 ,19 Sep A1. PRAY ET E. T.

1 or ina,

ee s sheets t 676252Z jsw. P 765535; P i @mwa w JL W VPatented Sept.k21,v 1926. i

AUNITED sTATissA THOMAS n. PRAY AND GEORGE BoDIN, or CHICAGO,ILLINois',"AssrGNoRs 'ro Gooi)- MANMANUFACTURING COMPANY, or CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ACORPORATVION or ILLINOIS. Y

MININGl MACHINE.

Application filed May 1, 1920, Serial No. 378,092. Renewed February 10,19276.

This invention relates to coal mining machines, and more particularly tomining machines of the chain cutter type commonlyV known as thecontinuous cutter coal mining Vmachine which is moved laterally alongthe wall of the mine to cnt a horizontal kerf thereunder, and isparticularly adapted foi' use in the room and pillar system of mining.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and'iinprovedmachine of the above description which' is capable of use in narrow orthin veinsV of' coal. Further objects will hereinafter appeaivin theYVdescription of the construction and operation of the machine embodyingour 'inven-Y tion. I

One of the principal features of the present invention relates to theconstruction wherein the machine is provided with a recess iii theforward portion thereo-f into which thecuttings are brought bythecutting chain, which recess isclosed to the advance side of the machine,and through which the cuttings ai'e moved by the cutter chain to theopposite, or following side of the machine and are ejected therefrom. 7ealso provide an improved operating mechanism as will hereinafter appear.y y The invention consists in the combination, construction, andarrangement of parts as will hereinafter be described in connection'`with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in theseappended clarin-s,

' In the dra-wings, VFigure l is a plan view position adjacenty bar, andshowing the front of the machine in elevation.

' Figure 4 is a cross section taken online 4-4of-Figure 3. i

Figure 5 is a side view of the machine with the cutter bar removed, andillustrating details of the control mechanism.

ing machine comprises a main frame 1, and

a cutter har 2 of any approved construc! also provided A Y y y chineadvances.A W' ith reference yto the drawings, the min-v vided withcutter bits 5,=5 projecting at varying angles from said cutter bar. Themain frame l of the machine comprises "a motor 6, mounted in acasing 7,preferably located at the rear ri-housing 8, atthe front end of themachine. In order to reduce the overall height of the machinel to. aVminimum, weconstruct .the motor casing 7 overall heightvk erating'themachine. The armature of the motor is preferablyl arrangedlongitudinallof the` machine, asl shownin dotted lines in Figures land 2. lt' will beseen that 'the height of the housing 8 which contains' the drivingmechanism is controlled Vby the height of the motor casing 7. Said motorcasingv is detachably.connected with the housing 8 by `any suitablemeans' such as Thecasing? and housing 8 form the base plate on the minefloor. i v

Machines of the class describedl are fed to the ivorlrby means of aflexible draft device, including a cable, chain, or the like. In themachine illustrated, wehave shown a flexible cable 10, which: is ledaround av end of the machine, and

so asto require arminimum l commensurate with the size" -of the moto-rhavingsufiicient power for iop- 7, and vis anchored near thefmine wallat a point` toward lwhich the machine is to" be moved The cable 10 iswound on a motordriven drum l2 mounted on the left side of the machine.The driving mechanism` for said drum will be hereinafter described. Bymeans of the fiexible draft gear, arranged as shown, the entire machineis -dragged bodily along the face, or wall, of the mine so asto performthe cutting operation Ain the usual manner. A

to maintain the machine in its proper cutting .relation to the wall.'For this purpose we have shown a friction controlled drum 13 at therear end ofthe motor casing carrying a flexible cable 14, which isadapted to be anchored in thev direction opposite to that-of the feedrope 10, and to be unwound from said drum against friction vas the ma-ItV will be understood, however, that any other suitable draft deviceorpi'opelling mechanism may be used for the purpose of moving` andcontrolling the machine during the cutting operation.

Referring now more particularly tothe 'A retarding device ,is f

ionv

jacent said boss, supporting lug 15 with the forward edge Y,ingsprocket. ysaid-,sprocket will be hereinafter described.

Vlower wall is provided with a boss 18, forming a lower bearing for acutter chain driving sprocket 1,5,fand a vertical web 15, ad-

which web connects the of wall 20,' and provides a support againstYwhich the rear endY of the cutter bar abuis.

Thecutter chain 3 is mounted on said cutter bar, and passe-s rearwardlyaround the driv- The driving mechanism for As themachine proceeds to theleft along `the mine wall the cutter bits 5 5 move in the directionindicated by the arrow arounc the cutter bar 2, thru the opening 21,into the .recess 1,7, and around the driving sprocket 16. The cuttingsare brought rearwardly from the kerf by the cutter chain,

'-" `and tend to accumulate in the recess 17,

as they are` dislodged from the` chain.

Referring now to the means for discharging the cuttings from the recess17, which means are shown in detail in Figures 3, i and 5, it will beseen that the recess 17 opens to one side of the machine and forms adischarge passage 22 for the cuttings.` rIhe boundaries of the recess 17comprise a top wall 19, bottom wall 2G, and a side wall 23, all of saidwalls being preferably cast inte-- gral with the housing 8. The sidewall 23 of the recess comprises a slightly flared portion 24C adjacentthe front passage 21, an arcuate portion 25, rearwardly of said flaredportion, and formed on a radius approximately concentricV with theY axisof the sprocket 16, and an approximately straight portion 26, wnichmerges into said curved portion and is-inclined rearwardly and towardthe discharge passage 22 (see Y'Figure 4).

A, rib 27 projects upwardly from the base plate 20, and extendsifrom theboss 18 outwardly and slightly rearwardly, tothe margin of said baseplate, as shown. An oppositely disposed rib 28 may also be provided inthe upper wall 19 of the recess, if desired. Said rib is preferablyarranged so yas to meetthe boss 1S at a tangent, and may beapproximately parallel with the straight portion 25, ofthe side wall, ordiverge slightly away therefrom toward the front of the machine, asshown in Figure 4.

The essential feature of the construction just described is thearrangement whereby vertically disposed pin 114-.

the cuttings are discharged from the recess by themovement of the cutterchain. 'lhis is accomplished by the novel shape, or conformation of thewalls of the vrecess above described, in the following manner: is thecuttings accumulate on the Iioor and along the walls of the recess 17,to a depth sufficient to come into contact with the cutter chain, theyare carried by the chain usually suiiicient to throw the cuttings .be- AYyond the side margin of the bottom wall,

where they4 are deposited on the mine Yfloor adjacent the dischargepassage 22, and are left behind as the machine advances laterally in itscuttingioperation. The lateral margin of the lower wall 20ris sulstantially in longitudinal alignment with the portion of the cutterchain on the following side of the cutter ban-soV that4 excessiveaccumulations Vof cuttings adjacent the discharge passage may be readilycleared away by the operator or his helper, in the usual manner. Theprovision of the oppositely disf posed ribs 27, 28'servesV to assistindirecting the movement of the cuttings toward the discharge passage.

. The driving mechanism. comprises a hori- Zontal shaft 29 carried bysuitable bearings '30,731 and 82 in the housing 8; said shaftl Ahaving agear 33 meshing with the motor pinion 84; and arranged with its axisabove, and to one side of the axis of the motor 6.

The driving connection for the feed rope drum 12 compr' ses a worm 35carried by the shaft 29,V and engaging aV worm wheel 36 mounted on alongitudinal shaft 37, Vand having operative connection with the feeddrum 12y thru a suitable vplanetarychange speed mechanism 38, shaft 39and gears l0 and i-1. rlhe planetary mechanism is oper-- ated by alongitudinally movable shaft 29n extending through shaft 37 to a clutchVmember 58 in the planetary mechanism and provided with a shifter arm29h, carried by a vertically disposed shaft 29C extending upwardly thruthe housing 8. A. control lever 29d (see Figure 5) is attached to saidshaft,

and extends rearwardly so 'asV to be manipulated from the rear of themachine.

The driving connection 'for the cutter chain sprocket 16 comprises abevel pinion on the forwardjend of the shaft 29.r and meshed with thebevel gear 43, carried by a Said pin is liu `thru the top Vdownwardlymounted at its upper end in'a yoke 45 rigidly attached to the housing 8.yThis pin extends downwardly wall 19 of the recess 17, and is mounted atits lower end in the boss on the lower wall 20. The bevel gear 43comprises a toothed periphery 46,!and a downwardly extending neckportion'47, and'is provided with a suitable bearing sleeve 48 on the pin44. The chainl sprocket 16 is mounted at the lower end 'and outside'ofthe hub portion 47 just described, and is provided with a bearing sleeve49. Connecting sleeve 50is also lmountedv on said bearing ,sleeve 49above the chain sprocket' 16'and -in clutched engagement with thelatter, so

yas to allow the-sprocket to 4be easilytaken outand replaced. i

The mechanism forv clutching the: bevel gear43 to the driving sprocket16 comprises a vertically movable. clutch sleeve 51 `provided with asuitable yoke 52.I andA having extending clutch fingers 54, 54 extendingthru suitable openings 55, 55 in the beveled g'ear43, and adapted tohave` clutchingengagement'with recesses 56, 56. carried by theconnecting sleeve 50 engaged with the sprocket 16 as described. Theclutchsleeve 51 is provided with a bearing e sleeve 57, and is adaptedto revolve with the gear 43. In the position shown in Figure 2, Y theclutch isdisengaged, that is to say, it isV raised in its uppermostposition so that the clutch fingers 54, 54, are out of engagement withthe recesses 56, 56, carried by the connecting sleeve 50. The clutch ismanipulated by means of a shifter arm 58k (see Figure 1) carried by arocking shaft 59 mounted on the bearing 60. The'control connection forthe clutch comprises .segmental gears 61 and 62 and Va rocking shaft 63extending to therear of the machine. and ina nipulated by handle 64 (seeFigure 1). Thrust bearing plates 65, 65 are provided for the bevel gear43. Similarly, the shaft' 29 is provided with a--thrust collar 66 andthrust' bearing 67.

A removable top or cover plate is piovided to cover the housing 8.

F rom the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided acoal cutting machine which may be moved laterally and in which thecuttings are carried into the recess 17, and? ejected from vthe side ofthe machine opposite to that in which the entire machine is moved during4the cutting' operation. Said recess is closed to the advance side ofthe machine so that no cuttingscan get into vthe path' of movement ofthe inachine. The .lower wall 20. iii-addition te forming a portionofthe base plate upon which the machine rests, also prevents thecuttings from lodgingv under the forward end of the machine. Themotorand motor casing are' mounted/at the rear end of 'the side walls46, 46 of the.

yto tliedirection in which @the n n adapted tolinove'v cintingsrintosaid lway, and an arcuate deflector in' saidr p ysagewayadapted to coactwith said out cuttings toward said discharge passagewav closed to'- theadvance machine, and rest on the mine floor, while the operatinginechanisnn including the draft gearing and vcutting mechanism, is located at the front end of the machine; T he longitudinal shaft 29 ispositioned above the axis of 'theinotor pinion 34 so as to pass above,and have driving connection with the transverse shaft for the dra-ftgea'rii'ig, and also has driving connection with the bevel gear 43located in the forward end of the inotor housing over the recess 17 fordriving the cutter chainl sprocket 16. Thisk ari'c ment of partsprovides a novel and connv construction in rwhichtlie overall height ofthey entire mechanism' may vbe redi'iced to a minimum so thattheinachin'e may be used-. in narrower thin veins of coal. f

Another advantage of this construction is the provision of the yoke 45which for `is an upper bearing for the pin 44 inde'aendenv of themovable top- 70 of theliousing 8.. This arrangement allows the mechanismto be operated while the top is removed. y

Another advantage of this invention is the arrangement of the controllevers extending "-f' to `the rear `of the machine so as to be easilyaccessiblefor the 'operator 'while the machine is in operation. y f f f1 Having described Vour invention what we claim as new and desire toVcover by'lgetters Patent, is: I y 1,111 a mining 'machine' adapted tobe moved laterally along the face of a 'mine E. xv)

wall, the combination of a frameha'if'ingv a passageway opening to thefront endand wl communicating with a discharge passage` opening to theside of the 'anaclni'iewocp adapted to move, an endless crttin dement eztending from the end of s zinc vand "L cassage-V ter chain fordirecting' the ii'ioven'ient `of the iiassage. 2.111 mining machineadapt'Arr moved laterally along vthe face o wall, the combination of 'afraineha 11, i side ;t

said machine, but opening tothefr at 115 and comnninicating with a'discliarge passage ropening to the following side or the niachine,anendless cutting element extending fron'i the front end ofsaid' frameand 'af ed tofmove thek cuttings kinto 'said' pa ee way, and a deiiectorin said recess foiing a restricted p'ortion'of d passageway dif recting`the movement of the cuttings to ward said discharge passage. Y

'3. In a mining machine adapted to be l??? /noved laterally along 'theface of-a. minev wall, the combination of ya frainelhavingl a recess inthe front portion tliereof,.closed to the advance side of4 saidframe'and forming a discharge passage opening to the side `of 1 by saidthe machine opposite to the direction in which the machine is adapted tomove, a vsupporting member mounted in said recess, a

movable cutter chain carried by said sup-A Y porting member, and adeflector in said recess having a rearwardly extending' portionthereofforming a relatively restricted passageway between said cutterchain and said defiector, and having a second portion thereof forming arelatively large passageway communicating with said discharge passage.

4l. ln a mining machine adapted to .be moved laterally alongv the faceof a mine wall, the combination of a motor having a horizontallydisposed driving shaft, a casing for said motor adapted to rest on themine floor, a frame located forwardly of vsaid motor, a cutter barextending from the forward end of said frame and provided with a cutterchain, a longitudinal shaft mounted in said frame havingits axis abovethe axis of said driving shaft and having driving connection therewith,a vertically disposed gear member mounted forwardly of said longitudinalshaft, and a sprocket having operative connection with said gear member,and

adapted to drive said cutter chain.

5. In a mining machine adapter to be moved laterally along the face of amine wall, the combination of a motor having a horizontally disposeddriving shaft, a casing for said motor adapted to rest on the minefloor, a frame located forwardly of said inotor provided with a cutterbar extending longitudinally from its forward end, a longitudinallyextending shaft carried by said frame above the axis of said drivingshaft, and having driving connection therewith,

v draft mechanism carried by said frame including a transversehorizontally disposed shaft having operative connection with saidlongitudinal shaft, a cutter chain supported cutter bar, and means fordriving said cutter chain comprising` a vertically disposed gear membermounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and a sprocket havingdriving connection therewith.y

6. In a mining machine adapted to be moved laterally along the face of amine wall, the combination of a motor, a casing for said motor adaptedto rest on the mine floor, a housing located forwardly of said motorhaving a recess in its forward portion, a'cutter bar extending forwardlyfrom the forward end of said housing` and provided with a cutter chain,a longitudinal shaft mounted in said housing having its axis above theaxis of said motor and having driving connection therewith, a worincarried by said longitudinal shaft, a transverse shaft having a wormgear meshed vwith said worm, draft mechanism on one side of said housinghaving operative connection with said ,transverse.shaft, a verticallydisposed gear member mounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and asprocket in said recess having operative connection with said gearmember, andad-apted to drive saidcutter chain.

7. In a mining machine adapted to be.

moved laterally along the face of a mine wall, the combination' of amotor, a casing for said motor adapted to rest` on the mine Hoor, ahousing located forwardly of said motor provided with a cutter barextendingvhousing including a transverse horizontally disposed shafthaving operativ-ev connection with said longitudinal shaft, acutterchain supported by `Said cutter bar, vand means for driving saidcutter chain comprising a gearl membermounted forwardly of saidlongitudinal shaft, and independent of vsaid housing cover, and asprocket having driving connection with said gear member.

8. lin af mining machine, the combination of an elongatedv frame havinga .recess in the forward end thereof provided with top and bottom walls,and opening to the foi w-ard end and to onel side `of said frame, and

anendless cutting element supported by said frame adapted to move thrusaid recess and to coact with the walls thereof to discharge thecuttings to one side of the machine, a motor, and a casing for saidmotorv adapted to rest on theimine floor. l. v

9. ln a mining machine adapted to be moved laterally along the face of`a. mine wall, the combination of anielongated frame having a recess inthe forward end thereof provided with 'a top, bottom, rear, and one sidewall, whereby said recessopens to the front and one side of said frame,and a vcutting element extending longitudinally from, and supportedby,'saidffraine, adapted to co act with said walls to discharge thecuttings to one side of the machine.

lili

l0. ln a mining machine adapted to be ing a continuous arcuate surfaceconforming' substantially with the initial change of direction of lsaidcutting element.

ll. In a mining machine adapted to move laterally along the face of amiiie'wall, the

combination -of a frame having arecess in' lla';

the forward end thereof, a cutting element adapted to move through saidrecess and means in said recess restraining the cuttings from beingdischarged on the advance side of the machine, and cooperating with saidcutting element for discharging the cuttings from the following side ofsaid machine, a motor, and a casing for said motor mounted rearwardly ofsaid frame and forming therewith the bottom plate of said machine onwhich the machine rests on the mine floor.

12. In a room and pillar mining machine, the combination of a framehaving draft means operable on opposite ends of thel frame for advancingthe machine laterallyT along' a mine wall, a cutting element rigidlysupported on said frame and provided with a movable cutter chainextending rearwardly through a passageway extending longitudinally andthence transversely toward the following side of said frame, the sidewalls of said passageway cooperating with said cutter chain to move thecuttings rearw-ardly and then laterally to be discharged at thefollowing' side of the machine.,

13. In a mining machine, the combination of a frame, means for advancingthe machine laterally along the mine wall, a movable cutting elementsupported by said frame and extending into a recess in the forwardportion thereof, a deflector iii said recess adapted to cooperate withsaid cutting element to discharge the cuttings to the fol-V lowing sideof said machine, a motor, and a casing for said motor mounted rearwardlyof said recessand adapted to rest on the mine floor.

l-i. In a mining machine, the combina-` tion of an elongated framehaving a cuttings discharge channeliii the forward end there` of openingto one side of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by saidframel gearing having below thev upper and to one side of said cuttingsland having its rear` end disposed in said channel, a motor, drivingconnections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to move saidmining machine laterally onits vbottom along a mine fioor, said feedmeans comprising a planetary gearing mechanism disposed on a transverseaxis having a portion thereof extending below the upper boundary and onthe closed side of said cuttings channel. y THOMAS E. PRAY.

GEORGE BODIN.

along a mine floor, said feed- DISCLAIMER.

l,600,245.-Thoma.s E'. Pm/ and @cof/ge Bodin, Chicago, Ill. MININGMACHINE. Patent dated September 2l, 1926. Disclaimer led January 29,1927,r by the patentees, assignee Goodman Manufacturing 0ompan%consenting.

Herebyl enter this disclaimer to that part of the subject matter claimedin said specification as set forth in claims numbered 14 and l5, whichare in the following words: w

14. In a mining machine, the combination of an elongated frame having acuttings discharge channel in the forward end thereof opening to oneside of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by said frameand having its rear end ydisposed in said channel, a motor, drivingconnections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to movesai-d mining machine laterally on its bottom along a mine floor, saidfeed means including a planetary gearing having a portion thereofextending below the upper boundary and to one side of said cuttingschannel.

15. In a mining machine, the combination of an elongated frame having acuttings discharge channel in the forward end thereof opening to oneside of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by said frameand having its r-ear end disposed in said channel, A a motor, drivingconnections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to-move saidmining machine laterally on its bottom along the mine floor, said feedmeans comprising a planetary gearing mechanism disposed on a transverseaxis having a portion thereof extending below the upper boundary. and onthe closed side of said cuttings channel.

[Oficial Gazette February 8, 1927.] i

